Fame beckons for rising star

A village girl from Zeerust in North West is about to burst on to the international movie scene.

Lerato Motsiri was recently selected from hundreds of hopefuls at auditions held at the Mmabana Mmabatho studio.

Oscar-winning actor Presley Chweneyagae is the male lead in Akenosi: The Movie, which is based on the 1994 looting sprees and civil riots in Mafikeng.

Motsiri will play the part of Polena, a 27-year-old Motswana woman who is supportive of Akenosi (Chweneyagae).

He is beaten by three Afrikanerweerstandsbeweging members and loses control of his bladder.

Years later, living with Polena, he develops problems with a weak bladder and is forced into a confrontation with his boss, during which he could lose control of his bladder in front of his colleagues.

"Our goal is to empower women and bring them into the film industry because we believe there is a great shortage of talented Batswana women in the film industry," says co-producer Joan Legalamitlwe.

"We were looking for somebody who could represent the Batswana community in North West."

Motsiri, who has a secretarial diploma, said she is happy to work among the best in the film industry.

"I accompanied a friend to the audition," Motsiri says. "The producers asked me to take part and here I am, the lead actress in the first movie to be shot in Mafikeng."

Part of the movie will be shot in Mafikeng in July and the rest in Johannesburg.

Legalamitlwe says the movie will be launched during the North West Film Festival in September.

Other stars who will feature in the film are HHP, Boikie Pholo and Zenzo.